Mayor fetes Staten Island's high school stars at Gracie Mansion

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- "If you're all so smart, maybe you can help me figure out how to bring LeBron James to the Knicks," joked Mayor Michael Bloomberg to valedictorians and salutatorians of the city's public high schools, gathered yesterday afternoon on the lawn of Gracie Mansion for a barbecue.

More than 950 high school valedictorians, salutatorians, academic champions and their families attended the celebration of the graduates' achievements at the official mayor's residence.

Staten Island Advance/Lindsay MacklinValedictorians and salutatorians dot the lawn at mayor's residence on the Upper East Side.

"It is a great honor to be invited here and such a wonderful opportunity to have the chance to meet the mayor," said Stephanie Hernandez, Susan E. Wagner's salutatorian.

Miss Hernandez waited on line with the other attendees to take a picture with the mayor.

After an hour of posing for pictures, Bloomberg delivered a talk.

"This is the conclusion of one adventure and the start of another," the mayor said. "The best advice I can give you is to focus on what really interests you and excites you and just give it all you got."

Bloomberg then turned things over to Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, who called the day one of the happiest in the year for him.

"From the bottom of my heart, I want you to know how proud I am of each of you," said the chancellor.

He noted the diversity on display: "Here tonight is the American dream. You all come from different places, different backgrounds and different nationalities. But you have all risen to the top. You are going to college at a time when the economy is in trouble, the environment has problems, terrorism exists and changes in education are occurring. As the future, it is up to you to make sure that the American dream does not become an American memory."

The mayor concluded the ceremony on a lighter note by administering his own "Perfect Summer Achievement Test" to three brave students.

Like every graduate at the event, each participant was a "winner" and received a Gracie Mansion mug.